Blueberry plant named ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of blueberry plant named ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ is disclosed. ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ was selected as a strong evergreen blueberry variety with early and high yield. Fruit of ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ are large, with balanced sugars and acids, firm crisp texture, and good bloom. Plants of ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ are precocious and fruit on both one-year-old and current season&#39;s shoots.

Latin name:

Botanical classification: Vaccinium corymbosum L.

Varietal denomination: The varietal denomination of the claimed varietyof blueberry plant is ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Blueberry plants are perennial flowering plants with indigo-coloredberries from the section Cyanococcus within the genus Vaccinium. Manycommercially sold species with English common names, includingblueberry, are currently classified in section Cyanococcus of the genusVaccinium and come predominantly from North America. Many North Americannative species of blueberries are grown commercially in the SouthernHemisphere in Australia, New Zealand, and South American nations.

Vaccinium corymbosum, the northern highbush blueberry, is a NorthAmerican species of blueberry which has become a food crop ofsignificant economic importance. It is native to eastern Canada and theeastern and southern United States, from Ontario east to Nova Scotia andsouth as far as Florida and eastern Texas. It has been naturalized inEurope, Japan, New Zealand, and the Pacific Northwest of North America.Other common names include blue huckleberry, tall huckleberry, swamphuckleberry, high blueberry, and swamp blueberry.

Blueberries are usually erect, prostrate shrubs that can vary in sizefrom approximately four inches to approximately 13 feet in height. Inthe commercial production of blueberries, the smaller species are knownas “lowbush blueberries”, while the larger species are known as“highbush blueberries”.

Blueberry bushes typically bear fruit in the middle of the growingseason. However, fruiting times can be affected by local conditions suchas altitude and latitude. As such, peak crop can vary from May to Augustin the northern hemisphere, depending upon these conditions.

Blueberries are a popular fruit that is typically consumed as freshfruit, individually quick frozen (IQF) fruit, or in prepared foods, suchas purées, juices, jellies, jams, baked goods, snack foods, and cereals.

Blueberry is an important and valuable fruit crop. Accordingly, there isa need for new varieties of blueberry plant. In particular, there is aneed for improved varieties of blueberry plant that are stable, highyielding, and agronomically sound.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to meet these needs, the present invention is directed to animproved variety of blueberry plant. In particular, the inventionrelates to a new and distinct variety of blueberry plant (Vacciniumcorymbosum L.), which has been denominated as ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’.

Blueberry plant variety ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ was discovered inHillsborough County, Fla. in April of 2013 and originated from a crossbetween the proprietary female parent blueberry plant ‘196H 3’(unpatented) and the proprietary male parent blueberry plant ‘7J301’(unpatented). The original seedling of the new variety was firstasexually propagated via softwood cuttings in Santa Cruz County, Calif.in July of 2013.

‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ was subsequently asexually propagated via softwoodcuttings and tissue culture and underwent further testing in VenturaCounty, Calif. for five years (2014 to 2019). The present blueberryvariety has been found to be stable and reproduce true to type throughsuccessive asexual propagations via softwood cuttings and shoot tissueculture.

‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ exhibits the following distinguishingcharacteristics when grown under normal horticultural practices inVentura County, Calif.:

-   -   1. Semi-upright plant growth habit;    -   2. Elliptic leaf shape; and    -   3. Entire leaf margin.

‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ was selected as a strong evergreen blueberry varietywith early and high yield. Fruit of ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ are large, withbalanced sugars and acids, firm crisp texture, and good bloom. Plants of‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ are precocious and fruit on both one-year-old andcurrent season's shoots.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This new blueberry plant variety is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographs. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtainedby conventional photographic procedures. The photographs are of plantsthat are four and a half years old, unless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 illustrates a section of an immature cane of variety‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’.

FIG. 2 illustrates leaves of variety ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’. The two leaveson the left show the upper leaf surfaces and the two leaves on the rightshow the lower leaf surfaces.

FIG. 3 illustrates clusters of flowers of variety ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’.

FIG. 4 illustrates whole fruit of variety ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’. The twofruit on the left have bloom on them, and the two fruit on the righthave bloom removed. Counting from left, the first and third fruit showthe bottom view (fruit-pedicel junction) of the whole fruit, and thesecond and fourth fruit show the top view (calyx basin) of the wholefruit.

FIG. 5 illustrates the cross-sections (two columns of fruit on the left)and longitudinal sections (two columns of fruit on the right) of thefruit of variety ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’.

FIG. 6 illustrates plants of variety ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’. The data which define these characteristics isbased on observations taken in Ventura County, Calif. from 2014 to 2019.This description is in accordance with UPOV terminology. Colordesignations, color descriptions, and other phenotypical descriptionsmay deviate from the stated values and descriptions depending uponvariation in environmental, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions.‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. Unless noted otherwise, the botanicaldescription of ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ was taken from plants that were fourand a half years old. The indicated values represent averages calculatedfrom measurements of several plants. Color references are primarily toThe R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London(R.H.S.) (2015 edition). Descriptive terminology follows the PlantIdentification Terminology, An Illustrated Glossary, 2^(nd) edition byJames G. Harris and Melinda Woolf Harris, unless where otherwisedefined.

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Ericaceae.        -   Botanical.—Vaccinium corymbosum L.        -   Common name.—Blueberry.        -   Variety name.—‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—The proprietary blueberry plant ‘196H 3’            (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—The proprietary blueberry plant ‘7J301’            (unpatented).-   Plant:    -   -   Height.—130.1 cm.        -   Width.—112.8 cm.        -   Length/width ratio.—1.2.        -   Vigor.—Strong.        -   Growth habit.—Semi-upright.        -   Internode length.—29.72 mm.        -   One-year-old canes (young canes).—Length: 68 cm. Diameter at            the base: 9 mm. Diameter at the tip: 3 mm. Internode length            on the upper half: 24.6 mm. Color: RHS 144A (Strong            yellow-green). Texture: Smooth.        -   Five-year-old canes (mature canes).—Length: 83 cm. Diameter            at the base: 26 mm. Diameter at the tip: 2 mm. Texture:            Rough. Color: RHS 199D (Dark greyish yellow).-   Leaves:    -   -   Length.—88.6 mm.        -   Width.—49.4 mm.        -   Length/width ratio.—1.8.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Color on upper side.—RHS 146A (Moderate olive green).        -   Color of lower side.—RHS 137C (Moderate yellow-green).        -   Shape of the leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Shape of the leaf base.—Cuneate.        -   Texture of upper side.—Smooth.        -   Texture of lower side.—Smooth.        -   Petiole.—Length: 6.5 mm. Diameter: 1.86 mm. Texture: Smooth.            Color: RHS 145B (Light yellow-green).-   Flowers:    -   -   Inflorescence length (excluding peduncle).—Short, 11.85 mm.        -   Inflorescence width.—7.21 mm.        -   Flower length (excluding pedicel).—9.58 mm.        -   Flower diameter.—8.25 mm.        -   Flower length/width ratio.—1.2.        -   Flower bud.—Length: 6 mm. Width: 4 mm. Number of flowers per            bud: 6. Anthocyanin color: RHS 62A (Strong purplish pink).        -   Flower pedicel.—Length: 9.15 mm. Diameter: 1.84 mm. Texture:            Smooth. Color: RHS 145A (Strong yellow-green).        -   Corolla.—Shape: Urceolate. Anthocyanin coloration of corolla            tube: Absent or very weak. Anthocyanin color of corolla            tube: RHS 158B (Pale yellow). Ridges on corolla tube:            Absent. Petal width (ridge to ridge): 6.06 mm. Diameter of            corolla aperture: 4.57 mm. Length of corolla tube: 8.81 mm.            Corolla tube color: RHS 157D (Greenish white).        -   Sepal.—Number per flower: 7. Shape: Deltoid. Length:            6.85 mm. Width: 3.78 mm. Shape of apex: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Texture of upper side: Smooth. Texture of lower            side: Smooth. Color of upper side: RHS 138C (Moderate            yellow-green). Color of lower side: RHS 138C (Moderate            yellow-green).        -   Reproductive organs.—Style length (including stigma):            10.29 mm. Filament color: RHS 139D (Moderate yellow-green).            Anther color: RHS N167B (Brownish orange). Style color: RHS            144A (Strong yellow-green). Ovary color: RHS 144A (Strong            yellow-green). Pollen color: RHS 160C (Pale greenish            yellow). Stamen length: 2.78 mm.        -   Flowering interval on one-year-old shoot.—November to May.        -   Flowering interval on current season's shoot.—November to            May.-   Fruit:    -   -   Length.—15.29 mm.        -   Diameter.—17.57 mm.        -   Length/width ratio.—0.9.        -   Weight.—2.7 grams.        -   Shape in longitudinal section.—Oblate.        -   Attitude of sepals.—Semi-erect.        -   Type of sepals.—Reflexed.        -   Calyx basin.—Diameter: 8.42 mm. Depth (including sepals):            2.18 mm. Diameter/depth ratio: 3.9.        -   Number of berries per cluster.—7.60.        -   Fruit cluster peduncle length.—11.38 mm.        -   Fruit cluster peduncle diameter.—1.29 mm.        -   Fruit cluster peduncle texture.—Smooth.        -   Fruit cluster peduncle color.—RHS 145A (Strong            yellow-green).        -   Diameter of fruit pedicel.—1.90 mm.        -   Length of fruit pedicel.—6.89 mm.        -   Texture of fruit pedicel.—Smooth.        -   Color of fruit pedicel.—RHS 145A (Strong yellow-green).        -   Color of unripe fruit.—RHS 144C (Strong yellow-green).        -   Color of fruit with bloom.—RHS 98D (Light purplish blue).        -   Color of fruit without bloom on mature fruit.—RHS 202A (Dark            greyish purple).        -   Intensity of fruit bloom.—Medium.        -   Fruit flesh color.—RHS 145C (Light yellow-green).        -   Fruit firmness.—Very firm.        -   Fruit sweetness.—Medium.        -   Fruit acidity.—Medium.        -   Fruiting type.—On one-year-old and current season's shoots.        -   Ripening interval on one-year-old shoot.—November to May.        -   Ripening interval on current season's shoot.—November to            May.        -   Fruit shipping quality and shelf life.—Following harvest,            fruit have been stored for 21 days when maintained under            cooled temperatures (e.g. 4° C.) that are standard for            blueberry storage.        -   Market use.—Fresh market use.        -   Yield.—25 tonnes to 40 tonnes of fruit per hectare per            season from 24- to 36-month old plants when grown at Oxnard,            Calif.-   Resistance to abiotic stress, pests, and diseases:    -   -   Drought.—Moderately resistant.        -   Heat.—Moderately resistant.        -   Cold.—Plants have been grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 7-10.        -   Blueberry bud mite (acalitus vaccinii).—Moderately            susceptible.        -   Spotted-wing drosophila (drosophila suzukii).—Moderately            susceptible.        -   Botrytis fruit rot (botrytis cinerea).—Moderately            susceptible.

COMPARISONS TO PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL BLUEBERRY VARIETIES

‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ differs from the proprietary female parent ‘196H 3’(unpatented) in that fruit of ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ have better firmness,picking scar, and shelf life than fruit of ‘196H 3’. Additionally,plants of ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ mature earlier and are more productivethan plants of ‘196H 3’.

‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ differs from the proprietary male parent ‘7J301’(unpatented) in that fruit of ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ have better firmnessthan fruit of ‘7J301’. Additionally, plants of ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’mature earlier and are more productive than plants of ‘7J301’.

‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ differs from commercial blueberry plant variety‘Snowchaser’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,503) in that ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’has a semi-upright plant growth habit, a green color of one-year-oldshoot, an elliptic leaf shape, and an entire leaf margin, whereas‘Snowchaser’ has an upright to spreading plant growth habit, a browncolor of one-year-old shoot, an ovate leaf shape, and a serrate leafmargin.

‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ differs from the commercial blueberry plant variety‘DrisBlueNineteen’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,698) in that‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ has an elliptic leaf shape, ridges absent on corollatube, an oblate fruit shape in longitudinal section, and reflexed fruitsepals, whereas ‘DrisBlueNineteen’ has an ovate leaf shape, ridgespresent on corolla tube, a round fruit shape in longitudinal section,and straight fruit sepals.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of blueberry plantdesignated ‘DrisBlueTwentyTwo’ as shown and described herein.